Cursed Under London by Gabby Hutchinson Crouch drew me in with the magenta cover. It boasts to be “The unputdownable first novel in a new Elizabethan romantasy series.”

I’ll admit - I had no trouble putting this down; it was one of those books that I had to motivate myself to get through… the fact that I was buddy-reading this with my friend helped me to not DNF. I am glad that I stuck it out, because there were some funny moments and I did enjoy parts of this story, but I didn’t love it as a whole. I do not think that I would choose to continue reading this series - as I’m not totally invested in story, but I would be interested in reading more from this author!

I think there’s totally an audience for this book & that there are going to be readers who pick it up and fall in love, deeming it worthy of five stars. Unfortunately that wasn’t me. I think I’d recommend this book to romantasy lovers like myself and see if you enjoy it!

Thanks so much to NetGalley & Farrago Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a fun and unique story, but not entirely my cup of tea. I enjoyed the concept of Upper London and Deepside London and all of the supernatural creatures living between the two with different laws and such. I liked a few of the characters, particularly Fang and Tem, but some were a little annoying and the romance was pretty instalove. I also wasn’t super impressed with the villain or their motives which made the ending drag a bit. There were some funny moments, but overall I thought it was trying a little too hard and I probably won’t continue the series.

Thank you to Farrago Books for the ARC!

If you love the playful anachronism in The Knight's Tale mixed with the playful adventure vibes of an at home D&D game I think this book will be right up your alley. Though Cursed takes place in an alternate Elizabethan England (complete with delightful run ins with Kit Marlowe and Billy Shakes) full of supernatural entities that are full of bureaucracy that language and humor is very 20th century. If you accept this and go with it, you'll have a great time. Fang and Lazare have both recently had unsuccessful death experiences, and come out of those with strange new powers not quantifiable in the societal norms of paranormal London. In their quest to figure out what's happening to them they'll enlist the help of Welsh potion maker Nell, Mediocre Dragon Nell, and lost fae child Tem. The swan captian of the Royal Guard Honkensby is hot on their tail though, so they'll escape to Deep London in search of answers. And it would be foolish to fall for one another on the way right? ... Right??
If you're looking for a fun romp of an adventure, this book is for you. My main critique is mostly that i sometimes found the POV tenses to be confusing. The book is told from a number of 3rd person limited point of views, but i found sometimes that they switched without the usual indicator that we were following someone else's thoughts. Not sure if that's something that will be fixed in final print runs and was just a result of having the early e-arc.

GAY ROMANCE & FOUND FAMILY x AGRESSIVE FLIRTING & KITTEN/BABY ADOPTIVE VILLAGE

"(...) she loves you, people love you".
There are three things one needs to know (and love) about Lazare:
1. he has wings (book-boyfriend-height wings, if you find size important).
2. he gets his lines right (jokes about his profession aside, he does deliver).
3. he wants o make sure his love interests scream his name but also knows he loves him (before and after sex).

"He looked really very lovely in the flickering firelight. Perhaps... (...)"
There are also three things one needs to know (and love) about Fang:
1. he's a big, sad boy (give him cuddles please and thank you).
2. he has the "only for someone special smile".
3. he's a kitten daddy (no dirty jokes here, just a man and his cat).

Now, about the book per se, I'd say there are five things to highlight:
1. I personally think it has Shadowhunters vibes, not only because we have supernatural beings living their best lives in big cities, but also because there's something about it that just makes me think of the Herondale's "sad boy vibe".
2.This one is a personal preference, mostly because I'm a sucker for malexmale romance, but... THE gay romance in this book is just *CHEF'S KISS".
3. The end... Like, the way it hints who the next villain is going to be and WHO that is... Sing me up for that kinda villain going after that kinda thing.
4. Dragons. A tiny but big-hearted dragon.
5. Aggressive making out included, and, just like with gay romance, it's THE angry making out, insults included.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this story, this is my honest and objective review. Alt-universe Elizabethan England, but in this version magical creatures co-exist with humans. Humans on the surface, magical beings have an underground kingdom. Our main characters are Lazare and Fang, both killed but then came back to life as magical creatures. But what kind they are, and why they didn't die, is a mystery to them and everyone around them. I liked the story, the author has a nice comedic voice, great dialogue and action. Just the right amount of fantasy, not so much that it overwhelms a casual reader of fantasy like myself. Grumpy sunshine, gallant Lazare and big-hearted but self-sabotaging Fang are good together. Great supporting characters. There are several different storylines winding throughout, kind of a lot going on but still a quick read. Also, I love the cover art! This is the first in a series; it ends with some unresolved storylines that I assume will be the focus of future books in the series. My main issue is that there should be some content warnings for some events that we discover in the second half of the book, I'm not going to mention what they are here because spoilers, but I hope that by the time this goes to press the author and publisher decides to add them. This is a new-to-me author but I would definitely read her again.

Enchanting characters.
Great development of the story.Very enticing story telling.
A great book 4stars.
I would highly recommended to others

2.5
Cozy fantasy that includes a swan cop and a little dragon? I liked the first half getting to know the characters and the world but the last have was flat. The plot gets lost and the “mystery” is summed up by pages of the a character explaining it directly to you. The way the issue was solved didn’t make sense in my opinion.

I did like the characters and I laughed on several occasions. A fun read in the end.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Farrago Books for giving me access to the Cursed Under London ARC!

Firstly, what an incredibly fun book. A tale of mythical beings, humans and those somewhere in between set in a fantastical version of 16th-century London. Cursed Under London takes political satire, gay romance and dragons, and wraps it up in a chaotic little bow in London’s criminal underbelly (literally).

Honestly, this isn’t the type of book I typically gravitate towards, but I was intrigued, especially by Gabby Hutchinson Crouch’s work on Horrible Histories - the British childhood staple; and dear reader, I was not disappointed. This book is howlingly funny, bringing the most absurd fight scenes, conversations and characters to life.

I had such an enjoyable time reading this, and I look forward to devouring the sequels.

The writing was good, the concept felt a little off. I enjoyed the setting, but the characters didn’t do much for me. I especially did not like the law enforcement characters … I just got a little weirded out. The “quack” ruined it for me. Lots of potential but I couldn’t get myself through it. I never really got invested into the story- there was little to no connection. Thank you for the opportunity!!

This was a gripping read, I thought the characters were intriguing and I'm going to keep an eye out for more from this author.

"Cursed Under London" is a fantastical journey set in 16th century London 🏰, following Lazare and Fang as they dodge supernatural fates with the help of a charming dragon named Amber and a witty Apothecary named Nell. Their adventure weaves through Upper London's human realm and Deep London's mystical underworld. 😮💫

The book's quick pace and witty banter between characters, especially Fang and Lazare, keep the story lively and entertaining. The budding romance adds another layer of charm 💞, while Amber the dragon steals the show with her delightful presence. 🐉✨

While some may find the stakes a bit low and the historical backdrop lacking in spirit, the adventurous pacing and blend of history with magic make for an engaging read. 📚🔮

Overall, "Cursed Under London" is a delightful escape for urban fantasy enthusiasts, offering humor and excellent writing reminiscent of T. Kingfisher's works. 🌟

Cursed Under London was an extremely enjoyable read, and I am grateful I was able to read it thanks to NetGalley. I absolutely adored this take on historical london and found the magical political system to be a unique and well fleshed out one that was genuinely interesting. The relationships and dynamics of the characters were also enjoyable, especially considering the found family aspect, which is a personal favourite trope of mine. Additionally, this book was truly humerous, and the more gross humour was exactly the kind of humour I was expecting from a writer who worked on horrible histories. I truly can't wait to see what more is to come in this series

Rating: 3.5

An enjoyable read, with an interesting twist on Elizabethan London life with magic and supernatural creatures involved.

While the plot was slow to start, quite a few characters being introduced and some of the interactions being downright comical (any and all interactions with the Hapenny's), the main few were soon solidified and quickly grew with their unique personalities and quirks. I also enjoyed the character interactions within, Nell being a personal favourite. Fang was full of intrigue, his backstory quite saddening and unrevealed under not-so-nice circumstances.

There were a lot of potential for the plot line to go, especially with exploring Tem and the Alchemist, however it felt a tad lacklustre after the big reveal only for nothing much to happen. The book did end on a cliffhanger, though, so perhaps it'll be further explored in the sequel.

It’s in the title.

“Cursed Under London” is set in the not-so-pleasant Elizabethan London. The underground world of werewolves, vampires, and other beings really comes to life. There are rules everyone must follow, including the humans, and the supernatural is an accepted way of life.

🧟 Love
🧟 Found Family
🧟 Quest
🧟 Deception
🧟 Dragons, vampires, zombies…Oh, my!

The “cursed” is normally seen as the villain, but they are fighting amongst each other in this world. They are hungry, tired, and kept within the confines of a society that doesn’t acknowledge they have feelings, wants and needs.

The witty banter and humor in this novel is an added bonus to the well-written prose of the time period it is set in. I found myself laughing a little (out loud) and smiling as I continued to read to the end.

I give it 5/5 stars. I enjoyed it and I appreciate the lightheartedness of this fantasy.

Special thanks to #NetGalley and #FarragoBooks for this ARC to review. Publication date is set for July 4, 2024.

Cursed Under London is a cosy comedic fantasy novel set in an alternative Elizabethan England.
The characters are fun, the adventure is non-stop as it keeps going from bad to worse and the humour is in every turn of phrase. It's a quick read, and it was perfect for the last couple of days as I was sick in bed and looking for something to change my mind without asking me to think too much.
There are some very absurd situations, which are fun but will also make you roll your eyes, definitely more on the absurd side. The world in darkly funny, sitting comfortably between Pratchett and the River of London.
That said, I preferred the previous series I have read of the author "Wish You Weren't There" and I wasn't as taken by this one. While I love the found family plot, the romance was a little too heavily layered on for me.
I will probably not continue reading the series, but I can see many having a fun time with it.

This is a fun story.
While it does have a lot of filler I didn’t think was necessary it was a fun read.
It’s a 3.5 for me but I’m rounding it up.
There wasn’t enough tension or stakes in this book imo.
It didn’t fully suck me into the world and I really wanted it to.
It’s cute, it’s fun, it’s funny, but there was a bit to much banter almost to the point that it didn’t make sense at points, like it was just trying to interject humor where the story was flat.

Oh my god this was so good, so queer and so hilarious. The humour reminded me of Pratchett dry sarcastic humour. But I just was so invested in the story and the characters the entire time. I was on the edge of the seat. And if that doesn't convince you: It has dragons.

This book was confusing from the beginning. Once I begun to kind of grasp the universe there were holes in the time period and world that I begun to notice.

They spoke very modern for it to be London over 100 years ago. I expected more proper language and maybe titles of some sort.

One part I cannot forget is the throwing on poop out the window, which is what coats the walls of alleys? Idk, it was a little pointless ick.

There was no real character growth or big WOW in the ending. I felt like I fought to get to the end and left wanting more. Something!

I liked the creativity but that was about it.

Adorable, funny, and cozy fantasy! Did not know it was the beginning of a series, so the cliff-hanger ending was a shock, but the conclusion was satisfying enough. Loved the world-building with the "undead" characters and 16th-century reimagined London. Heartwarming and creative <3

A cosy fantasy set in Elizabethan London with such a twist!

Upper London is the home of the humans with a strict rule for the undead & under London humans can get caught up and eaten. I loved that the traditional history was mixed with some fantasy also loved the dragons & LGBT representation too!
Also amazed to find out the author was the one of horrible histories too how bloody nostalgic!!

It kind of fell slightly flat for me as I wasn’t that heavily invested in the characters or emotionally contended to any of them but the story in general was brilliant.

This wasn’t a bad book at all just wasn’t - surprisingly- for me!